Long before the gymnasium went dark and
the spotlight was cast on the finalists at last
weekend’s Region V Tournament, East
Brunswick senior Gregory Krueger was in a
desperate battle to extend his high school
career.

Wrestling on Mat 3 in the back corner of
the Hunterdon Central Field House,
Krueger trailed Bound Brook’s Aaron
Saavedra 5-2 with less than 10 seconds
remaining in their 195-pound wrestleback
semifinal.

What happened next — a handful of similar
stories take place across the state each
year, but most never get reported because
the emphasis remains on the region finals
— is what makes Saturday’s elimination
rounds so special.